HISTORY

‘Emerson
House’ presently housing the Court of District and Sessions Judge,
Mandi, H.P. is one of the historical buildings of Mandi Town. Named after
H. W. Emerson, Superintendent of Raja Jogindersen, the building, a master
piece of Pahari Architecture was built in the year of 1918 and parts
were annexed to it in 1933. For decades, the Emerson House remained under
the domain of Raja of Mandi, a sub-Himalayan Princely State, and probably
acted as a place of his Judicial Administration. The building, a double
storied one is situated in the heart of Mandi Town, and now surrounded
by multi-storey complexes. Despite that the sheen and shine of Emerson
House has not faded, and it still stands tall with majesty and grandeur,
and continues to serve as the principal seat of Judicial functioning in
District Mandi.

In
pre 1966, District and Sessions Judge, Sessions Division Mandi and Chamba,
functioned at this place, but re-organization of State in 1966, brought some
changes and a new Sessions Division for Mandi, Kullu and Lahuhal Spiti Districts
was created with headquarter at Mandi. Again there was a change, when a separate
Sessions Division for Kullu and Lahuhal Spiti Districts with its head headquarter,
at Kullu was set up.